Bill Connelly's SP+ Metric Ranks Cincinnati Football as Big 12's Worst Team Following Spring Transfer Cycle

This seems a bit off.
Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Scott Satterfield, left, watches an instant replay video on the jumbo screen in the fourth quarter of a college football game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and West Virginia Mountaineers, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. Mountaineers won 31-24.
Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Scott Satterfield, left, watches an instant replay video on the jumbo screen in the fourth quarter of a college football game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and West Virginia Mountaineers, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. Mountaineers won 31-24. / Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
In this story:

CINCINNATI — The latest SP+ metric ranking is out from ESPN's Bill Connelly and it has the Bearcats football team rated the worst of any Big 12 team at No. 66 out of 136 FBS teams. It's calculated using returning production, recent recruiting, and recent history.

Connelly's system had them ranked 55th nationally in the post-winter transfer portal rankings. The offense and special teams are dragging down the ranking dramatically.

SP+ projects Cincinnati's offense to rank 86th nationally and the special teams to rank 88th, while the defense is 49th. It would be pretty shocking if the offense and ST are both bottom 50 units nationally, given how many resources are going to wide receiver and a completely new specialist group.

It's extra bulletin board material for the Bearcats as they try to wash away their current five-game losing streak and finish with a bowl berth this coming season.

ESPN SP+
ESPN SP+ / Bill Connelly

feed

Bookmark Bearcats Talk for the latest news, breakdowns, and so much more. Check out our YouTube page as well, starting with the video below.

You May Also Like:

Cincinnati Adds Sixth 2025 Transfer Talent in FAU Forward Baba Miller

Cincinnati Makes Final Schools List For Three-Star 2026 Offensive Tackle Charles Humphrey

Report: Date Finalized For 2025 Crosstown Shootout

Former Cincinnati Bearcats Safety Derrick Canteen Signs NFL Contract With San Francisco 49ers

Look: Kickoff Time Announced For Bearcats' Season-Opening Football Game

ESPN Ranks Cincinnati Football's 2025 Offseason Among Middle of Big 12 Pack

Recruiting Roundup: Cincinnati Offers Three-Star 2026 Running Back Rayshawn Duncan Jr.

Cincinnati Wins 2025 Big 12 Sports Medicine Staff of the Year

Cincinnati Bearcats Football Adds FCS Defensive Tackle Isaiah Rogers From Spring Transfer Portal

Cincinnati Football Player Jeremiah Kelly Passes Away Suddenly

Look: Cincinnati Bearcats Football Among Top Schools In Recent NFL Snap Totals

Cincinnati Lands Transfer Commitment From Baylor Forward Jalen Celestine

Cincinnati Adds Commitment From UCF Transfer Center Moustapha Thiam

CBS Sports Names Dontay Corleone, Brendan Sorsby to Annual Top-150 CFB Players List

Watch: Scott Satterfield Discusses Cincinnati Bearcats Football Following Team's 10th 2025 Spring Practice

Cincinnati Bearcats Star Forward Dillon Mitchell Entering Transfer Portal

Cincinnati Bearcats Forward Arrinten Page Entering Transfer Portal Following 2024-25 Season

Report: Bob Huggins Interviews For Cleveland State Basketball Head Coach Position

Cincinnati Adds Big 12 Transfer Guard Sencire Harris to 2025-26 Roster

Cincinnati Lands First 2025 Transfer in Veteran Guard Kerr Kriisa

The Athletic Includes Cincinnati Cornerback Matthew McDoom Among Top Group of 5 Transfers Heading to Power 4

Watch: New Cincinnati Kicker Stephen Rusnak Discusses Journey to UC And More

Pinging The Portal: UNC-Wilmington Big Man Harlan Obioha Visiting Cincinnati This Month

'Help My Team Win Any Way I Can' - Shon Abaev Ready To Bring Dynamic Skillset Into Cincinnati System

Pinging The Portal: Cincinnati Reaches Out to High-Scoring Guard Brian Moore Jr.

'There Was No Temptation' - Brendan Sorsby Focused on Continued Improvement With Bearcats

Watch: Cincinnati Bearcats Linebacker Simeon Coleman Discusses Follow-Up To Strong Freshman Season

Watch: Cincinnati Bearcats Skill Position Players Workout at 2025 Big 12 Pro Day

Watch: 2025 Big 12 Pro Day Action For UC Linebackers, Linemen

Look: Five-Star Cincinnati Bearcats Signee Shon Abaev Includes UC in High-School Season Wrap-Up Post

Watch: New Cincinnati Transfer Wide Receiver Makes Crazy TD Catch in Spring Practice

Look: Cincinnati's Big 12 Pro Day Participants Revealed

Recruiting Roundup: Cincinnati Offers Multiple Three-Star Offensive Skill Players As Spring Football Starts Up

Look: Former Cincinnati Bearcats Star Safety Darrick Forrest Signs With New NFL Team

Watch: Wes Miller and More Discuss 2025 Big 12 Tournament Second Round Matchup Against Iowa State

Three Man Weave: Cincinnati's Big 12 Season Ends With Tournament Loss to Iowa State

PFF Names Dontay Corleone Among Top-10 Returning Defensive Tackles in College Football

Watch: Highlights From Cincinnati's 87-68 Big 12 Tournament Win Over Oklahoma State

Three Man Weave: Cincinnati Bearcats Roll Over Oklahoma State 87-68 to Advance in Big 12 Tournament

-----

Be sure to keep it locked on Bearcats Talk all the time!

Follow Bearcats Talk on Twitter: @BearcatsTalk

Like Bearcats Talk on Facebook: Bearcats Talk


Published
Russ Heltman
RUSS HELTMAN

Russ Heltman is a contributor for AllBearcats and AllBengals. He is the morning host and producer for 89.3 WMKV in Cincinnati, OH. Russ can be found on Twitter: @RussHeltman11 or you can reach him by email at [email protected].


OSZAR »